This invention relates to an axle-and-hub assembly for a trailer.
An axle-and-hub assembly couples a trailer's wheels to a body of the trailer and allows the wheels to rotate about an axis which is aligned with the axle which, in turn, remains stationary.
The axle-and-hub assembly bears the entire weight of the trailer and its payload and, additionally, is exposed to acceleration and braking forces. In order to withstand these forces the axle-and-hub assembly typically includes an integral hub which is strong and durable. A disadvantage of this type of construction though is that the entire assembly must be discarded if the hub-end of the assembly becomes damaged. Not only is this expensive but the removal of the damaged axle-and-hub assembly from the body of a trailer is a laborious task which results in considerable downtime.
An object of the present invention is to provide an axle-and-hub assembly which, at least partly, addresses the aforementioned problems.